His right arm "blew up" following a skating session at Harvard back in mid-September after the NHL's collective bargaining agreement expired.

McQuaid needed two significant surgeries at Massachusetts General Hospital - one to remove the blood clot and another to prevent the condition from developing again.

If there wasn't a lockout, he wouldn't have been ready for the start of the season. At the time it wasn't known whether he'd be ready to go once a new CBA deal was reached.

Most athletes would miss an entire season to recover.

"It was a scary thing he went through," Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli said at a press conference Tuesday. "I don’t know if he's told you, but the size of his arm, the swelling, it swelled up five, six times the size of his arm. He was really scared and feared for his life, so it’s a terrific story, a testament to Adam’s character."

McQuaid played in 32 of 48 games of the shortened-season and finished with a goal, three assists, and 60 penalty minutes.